Max Coates Blog: No Racing, But Keeping Busy

Two meetings have passed since my last blog, Snetterton and Knockhill. Unfortunately I have joined the tens of thousands of people that turned out to watch racing instead of being in a car.

I went to Snetterton on Saturday and Sunday, (big thanks to Trevor Dowse who put me up on Saturday night) and watched all the racing. It was very frustrating watching from pit lane, I tried to focus myself on meeting people and helping others. It took my mind off not competing and made that easier. I really struggled on Friday, not racing is one thing but not being there is another, something I find very challenging.

I had an interview with Radio Silverstone on the Sunday talking about the Ginetta GT Supercup races I had seen. By doing things like that I manage to keep my name out there, I want to come back to the BTCC paddock in race trim before the end of the year. Whether it happens or not is hard to say at this moment in time.

Just before Knockhill I spent a day at Lightwater Valley who have sponsored me for the last two seasons. I took my RedBrick Racing car and Ginetta to promote myself, the theme park and the Ginetta Scholarship. The day went well, we had lots of people in the car and on a simulator we took with us.

I was honoured to be asked to commentate at Knockhill replacing Ginetta chairman Lawrence Tomlinson. I commentated alongside Richard John Neil and met Toby Moody, whom I’m a great fan of having watched the MotoGP races with my Dad. I learnt a lot from the day, commentating is something I would very much like to do more of and having ‘commentated live on ITV’ in my CV can’t harm that cause. Whilst I was commentating there was a very nasty start line crash involving Tom Ingram, Declan Jones and Mark Davies. I wish Tom all the best in recovering from the injuries he sustained and hope he can make it out at the next round.

I also went along to a Benjamin Gautrey Foundation race academy day on Wednesday last week. I delivered an MSA academy presentation with Josh Webster and Greg Symes to a class full of Aprilla Superteen’s riders; we watched them on track later. It’s great to be able to watch and learn from our two wheel friends, much is different but much is comparable.

There isn’t much more to report from Max Coates Racing HQ, hopefully we’ll have some exciting news about this year and next soon. I’m working very hard to make sure something is happening.